Newsprint-Scented Candle Kindles Nostalgia Without Ink-Stains

By marcpertonJune 24, 2011

If you’re nostalgic for the days when print ruled the world, but don’t want to be bothered with actual newspapers, the late designer Tobias Wong’s “Times of New York” candle, inspired by The New York Times, may be for you.

According to Project No. 8, “Wong proposed producing a candle with the fragrance of newsprint inspired by The New York Times, an institution he greatly admired.”

The scent of the candle is newsy, with hints of guaiacwood, cedar, musk, and spice. Characterized by “a powdery note and velvet nuance,” the scent is meant to mimic the aroma of black ink on newsprint.

The limited edition candle goes for $65, which could buy a 12-week subscription to The New York Times. But we really don’t recommend burning those.

Yes. To make smudges just hold your fingers over a smoking candle flame until they turn black. Transfer smudges to glass. Spray with clear Krylon so you don’t have to repeat procedure. Wine glass will NOT be dishwasher safe, even on the top rack.

They generally don’t have a lot of the tried-and-true favorites on sale (like Macintosh, Buttercream, etc) but they will have a lot of seasonal offerings. They also have some old scents available, but you’ll have to really look for those.

Here’s one for us older folk. Back in the day our teachers would make copies of our exams, notes, and we’d all smell the copy when she handed it to us because it smelled “good”. I could never explain what that smell “smelled” like but it is close to the old school blue print machines that used ammonia. I know that sounds weird but everyone liked that smell. Not sure an ammonia candle would sell well.

You’ll never see this reply, but I went to high school in the mid-to-late 1990s and my math teacher had one of those machines. I remember the smell vividly. That teacher was in her 60s at the time so I assume it was a machine she’d had for years.

i remember back in kindergarten we had these clipboards that smelled EXACTLY like honey grahams on the back. nobody but one single friend agreed with me and it was the BEST smell ever. how it happenned, i can not fathom.

Newsprint makes me sneeze. Wonder if this candle will, too? Not buying it just to find out. One thing is for sure, when we get nostalgic for our e-editions, everyone will be able to make a candle for that: unscented.

I helped out on someone’s Sunday paper route once a week many years ago. I sat in the back of a van either stuffing them into bags or throwing them out the side when the driver called out. The first week, the smell of all those newspapers damn near made me puke. I got used to it eventually but I never liked it after that. I think I’ll pass.